New study says that premature children have smaller teeth

A study from the Faculty of Odontology at Malmö University in Sweden unveiled that the size of teeth in premature children is smaller than those of children who were full term.  In recent years multiple studies of children's dental health have been published by researchers at the Faculty of Odontology in Malmö.  The research involved 80 children born before week 33 of pregnancy.

"We have examined how their teeth are developing and, among other things, we've looked at their bites.  We've also checked their need for orthodontic adjustments and found that it is greater than in the control group, children born at full term," she says.

Lollipops Reduce Tooth Decay?

According to a recent study, sugar-free lollipops containing licorice root extract, reduce the bacteria that causes tooth decay.  Specifically in preschool aged children with a high-risk of tooth decay.

The study was published by the European Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, funded by the Research and Data Institute of the affiliated companies of Delta Dental of Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Tennessee, Kentucky, New Mexico and North Carolina.

The researchers analyzed 66 preschool students ages 2 - 5 who were given a lollipop for 10 minutes twice daily for three weeks.  The results showed a significant reduction in Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans.)

Dentists Don't Give Preference to Children on Medicaid

According to recent research performed by Joanna Bisgaier, MSW, from the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, and her team; dentists avoid giving appointments to children in the combined Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program.

A team of researchers from the Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, aimed to check out the affect of insurance status on dentists' sharpness to allot an appointment for young people.

CSADC Reached 16,000 Children during National Children's Dental Health Month

During National Children's Dental Health Month, which took place in February, more than 16,000 children across the country received free dental screenings and/or oral health education, announced Church Street Health Management (CSHM).

This was the third year when "Healthy Child, Happy Smile Day," together with supporting community outreach initiatives provided free dental screenings and taught children about brushing and flossing and the importance of regular dental visits.

As part of the company's "Healthy Child, Happy Smile Day," Church Street Health Management's associated network of (which consists of more than 70 dental clinics in 22 states throughout the U.S.) caregivers held free screenings and community events.

Children Receive Free Dental Health Kits at NASCAR Event

During "SpeedFest," which took place on March 12th, the younger NASCAR fans learned how to improve their oral health and score free oral health kits.  Nearly 7,000 area children enjoyed the festivities. The SpeedFest kits include a card with oral health tips, together with a toothbrush, toothpaste and Henry Schein dental floss.

The program is an annual initiative of American Dental Association, where children from low-income families across the United States get free oral health care services. This year, more than 12,000 dentists nationwide are expected to provide free oral health care to almost 400,000 under served children.

Dental Care As Your Child Grows

As children grow up, the American Dental Association (ADA) advises parents to pay close attention to what kinds of products their children are eating and drinking. It's no secret that the nutrition we take in not only affects our general health, but our oral health as well. In addition, the American Dental Association warns that a diet high in sugar may very well be cause for significant damage not only to children's teeth,  but to adults teeth as well.  Sugar-coated teeth become a breeding ground for bacteria; which then produces acid.  It is this acid that eats away at  the enamel on our teeth.

In order to reduce the risks of childhood tooth decay, the ADA gives the following suggestion's:

Steps To Help Ensure Your Child's Bright Smile

In accordance with the U.S. Surgeon General, tooth decay is considered to be the most common, chronic childhood disease; taking into account the fact that more than 40% of American youngsters experience tooth decay before they are 5 years old. In order to avoid this outcome, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) encourages parents "to bring [their] offspring to a pediatric dentist by the time their baby's first tooth appears." In addition, the AAPD claims that the dental costs for children who have their first dental visit by the time the child is five years old, are nearly 40% less expenisve and evidently more effective than for those children who are older.

For parents of infants, the Academy makes the following recommendations:

New Insight on the Microbiota Of Severe ECC

Not so long ago, the researchers at The Forsyth Institute, made an incredible discovery concerning the nature of childhood dental disease. Thanks to scientific studies by Anne Tanner, BDS, who identified a new pathogen, related to severe early childhood caries (ECC); the progression of disease may now be intervened with and even halted. This bacterium, "Scardovia Wiggsiae," was present in the mouths of children with severe early childhood caries even considering the fact that there were no pathogens like Streptococcus mutant(s) detected.

Your Child's Bright Smile: Precautions

"It's crucial for parents to make good dental health a central component of their children's lives," explains Robert Shechet, D.D.S., Director of Dental Programs for Health Net, Inc. "What many people don't realize," he adds, "is that youngsters who don't receive proper dental care can develop into adults with poor dental health. Poor dental health can lead to heart attacks, strokes, premature or low-weight babies, diabetes complications, and other serious medical issues."

"Good dental health also extends to protecting youngsters' teeth when they're playing sports, and even when they're engaged in recreational activities such as rollerblading or snowboarding," says Health Net's Shechet.

Stress May Contribute To Risk for Tooth Decay

In accordance with a new study in young children, certain social and psychological factors increase the risk of tooth decay. The study was performed by the researchers from the University of British Columbia in Canada, who for two years, had been keeping track of 132 kindergarten children, among whom about a half had tooth decay.





Decay was linked with three factors: